Chapter 423 - The Death of Sir Jibei
Volume Six Go Back Alone with Pearl Drape and Lamplight
Chapter 423 The Death of Sir Jibei
It had already snowed twice in Jing City in early November, neither of which was very heavy. Even though it was freezing cold and the snow was difficult to melt, only the tiles were covered with snow, which was like a few brushstrokes on a scroll.
When Chu Yitong, who had recently been the eighth madame of the Jiang Family, saw that her husband Jiang Yadan looked tired, she gently invited him into the inner room to take a nap. But she excused herself from disturbing him and took her wet nurse Zhu to the study to talk, “The fourteenth junior young master is the first trueborn son. While I don’t have to worry about him as he is brought up by my nineteenth brother-in-law and his wife, I can’t forget to send him presents in the holidays. If there is something good here, we should leave one for him. Please remember this for me.”
Zhu nodded, “Your Grace, please set assured. I will…”
“Just call me madame!” Chu Yitong said calmly, “See, my nineteenth sister-in-law is also the Commandery Princess while all her people call her madame, don’t they? It is just a name. Do not let others think that I’m physically here while I’m somewhere else in spirit!”
Zhu murmured and obeyed. After thinking about it again, Chu Yitong added, “In fact, it is not a big deal as the fourteenth junior young master is not with me. It is the children of the mistresses who bother me. My mother-in-law has appointed Mistress Gu to bring up them. But in addition to the ninth junior young master who died at an early age, there are still three sons and three daughters, making a total of six children. How can Mistress Gu alone handle all of them? If she comes to offer me tea later and says so, what do you think I can answer that?”
“That’s the order made by the fourth Madame. If she can’t make it, she can be replaced by another mistress who can do it!” Zhu said severely, “You also know where Mistress Gu is from. She is not ordinary! The fourth Madame doesn’t take her seriously. It’s because, given her status and means, she doesn’t need to. But we have to be careful about that woman!”
Chu Yitong nodded with a frown. As she was about to say something, suddenly a young maid barged in in a panic, “Commandery Princess! Bad news!”
“What are you talking about?” Zhu couldn’t help but be furious, “What do you have to say? Our madame has just got married. What’s wrong with you? Why are you yelling? How dare you!”
“Mrs. Zhu, please allow me to explain. Something is very wrong. Sir Jibei has just fainted!” The young maid argued with a white face, “The Old Master almost fell down when he heard the news just now. If it were not for the Nineteenth Young Master Jiang Yashuang, who was at the front to report the matter and quick to hold on him, I’m afraid he would also… Now all the branches are rushing to the Mansion of Sir Jibei. The nineteenth young madame specially sent someone to call our young master and Commandery… Our madame!”
Chu Yitong’s face turned pale and she leaped to her feet, “Go back to my room! Be quick!”
The young maid didn’t talk nonsense. That Sir Jibei was not well was definitely a big deal, especially for the fourth branch!
After all, with his support for Jiang Tianchi when he was in the Northern Army and his choice of the stance on the issue of the Western Army, everyone thought that Sir Jibei was partial to the fourth branch. At this juncture, as the son and daughter-in-law of the fourth branch, it was okay that if they did not show enough concern and thus were poked and prodded. But if other branches got something on them because of that, it would be a big problem!
Chu Yitong hurriedly returned to the inner room and shook Jiang Yadan, who was catching up on his sleep. And then the couple hastily changed out of their auspicious clothes and chose clothes suitable for visiting a patient. Qiu Yelan, who was waiting for them to leave together, was already so anxious that she did not care to say much after they met each other. She just said, “Hurry up, the others have already gone!”
At this time, the Mansion of Sir Jibei was already crowded with people. The street, which was originally wide, was solid with carriages and palanquins winding outside the mansion!
Luckily, the carriage of Marquess’s Mansion was always privileged. So, a lane was separated from the crowd to allow them to pass.
After entering the gate, they made their way in the yard where Sir Jibei was arranged with difficulty. Looking at the officials in the corridor, they could hardly get closer.
“Do you have news of my youngest grand uncle?” So, they had no choice but to ask someone that had been there earlier.
Chu Yitong had just married into the Jiang Family and was not acquainted with her husband’s family. So, it was Qiu Yelan who was asking. She also explained for them, “My eighth sister-in-law has just married into our family. Upon hearing the news, she was held up for changing clothes. That is why we have just gotten here.”
The one she asked was Madame Zhuang Junior, the eleventh madame, who did not look very well, “My second grand uncle has taken Dr. Lin in. But they haven’t come out yet. Our sixth uncle came out just now but he looked…” She frowned and didn’t go on.
Qiu Yelan’s heart was tightened, “Did he say anything?”
“He said that Dr. Lin had asked him to go to the treasury for ginseng.”
People who grew up in wealthy families knew more or less how to maintain their health. At this moment, hearing Madame Zhuang Junior’s words, Qiu Yelan, Chu Yitong, and Jiang Yadan looked at each other and their faces all changed. For a man at Sir Jibei’s age, ginseng soup and tea were always prepared. But now Jiang Tiancan was asked to open the treasury for ginseng which obviously must be hundreds of years old. That kind of ginseng was kept for saving a life that was at stake!
When panic was clutching at their hearts, the door was opened suddenly. All stood in the corridor and the middle of the yard looked up together without muttering!
When they saw that the person who opened the door was actually Marquess Qin, who seemed to be haggard for more than ten years, everyone felt a chill in their hearts!
Sure enough, Marquess Qin looked around and whispered as if he were giving up his soul, “Everyone… please go back first! Allow our Jiang Family to get together!”
His words clearly meant that Sir Jibei was no longer able to get through it. As such, he had got to hurry to tell family matters to his families and had no time for outsiders.
In a moment, the crowd booed and hissed. Xue Chang took the lead in showing consideration to Marquess Qin and helped persuade guests who were not members of the Jiang Family to disperse.
At this time, Qiu Yelan and the others could finally get up to the front. But no one could open their mouths when they looked at Marquess Qin’s face. Finally, it was Marquess Qin himself who broke the impasse. He pointed to Jiang Yadan, “The junior that your youngest grand uncle cares most about in his lifetime is not your sixth uncle but your father! Now your father is in Beijiang. As his first trueborn son, come in and listen on behalf of him!”
Jiang Yadan said carefully, “Yes!”
When he entered, Marquess Qin closed the door.
When the door was opened again, the person who was asked to come in was Jiang Jingzheng, the first trueborn great grandson of Sir Jibei, also known as the first trueborn son of the Tenth Young Master Jiang Yabi.
Madame Ou had been at the couch from the beginning. And Madame Tao was let in as soon as she arrived one step behind Marquess Qin. Except for them, none of the women were called in.
Qiu Yelan’s lips trembled slightly as she looked down and quietly wiped the corners of her eyes, “According to the traditional rules, when an old man is dying, all in his branch should knee to send him away at his bedside. Now the daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law have not been allowed in, but the nieces are all there. Perhaps Sir Jibei is still worried about his family and wishes to persuade them to make peace once more before he dies, right?”
Otherwise, even if men were inferior to women at this time, it would be impossible to prevent daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law from sending the elder away at the bedside, right?
In the evening of that day, Madame Tianhe staggered and entered the yard. The crowd was in a heavy mood at the moment and did not pay attention to her at first, but soon they found out that it was Empress Xin who was supporting her!
“Why is Empress Xin here?” Madame Mi hurried to meet them. Jiang Tianhe did not look at her, but Empress Xin said coldly, “My grandfather is ill and I must come here to visit!”
Empress Xin traveled light in person and came to visit in the name of Empress Dowager and Emperor. So, it was natural that she could not be made to wait outside the door. As this news was brought in, Jiang Yahong, who had gone in with Jiang Tianao, came over and opened the door, greeting Empress Xin in a low voice. And Jiang Tianhe took the opportunity to follow them inside!
“My father-in-law is dying. My sister-in-law and niece can go in, but I, the daughter-in-law, should be left out!” Madame Mi thought to herself.
Madame Mi could not help but bite her lip even though she knew that this was because Xin Fubing was Express. Despite the decline of imperial power and the increase of the power of the Jiang Family, it was impossible to spoil the face of the Empress of the country when the relationship between the lord and his men still existed! But as Jiang Tianhe also came forward because of his daughter, she couldn’t rest assured!
Anyway, “Since my sister-in-law has come back to Jing City, she keeps on screwing with me! Now my father-in-law is dying. She comes here with Empress Xin rather than by herself directly. I’m afraid that she wants to take the opportunity of Empress’s coming to go in and talk! I don’t believe she does this without a purpose. Could she be coming at me and Yinyin?”
She got it right.
That night, just after midnight, a cry erupted from closed doors!
Among those voices, there was the voice of Marquess Qin.
The daughters-in-law who had been outside the door all day and half the night were stunned. They looked at each other in fear but did not dare to make a sound because they were not sure. A moment later, it was still Jiang Yahong who opened the door. He said to Madame Mi while wiping his tears, “My sixth aunt, my youngest grand uncle… has gone! My youngest grand aunt asked you to get things ready!”
When the women got the message, they covered their sleeves and wailed!
Chu Yitong’s wet nurse Mrs. Zhu cried even harder than her master, the real niece-in-law, “My madame has just finished her tea ceremony. But at this time, her husband’s youngest grand uncle had an accident and didn’t even make it through the night. How will she live with it?”
But no one was talking behind like that because the death of Sir Jibei was all so sudden!
From the time when things went wrong to the time when he took his last breath, it was less than a day. No one could have anticipated it, nor could they have prepared for it in advance.
Madame Mi’s ability had been quite ordinary. She was caught off guard by the death of her father-in-law. And because her sister-in-law Jiang Tianhe, who had a grudge against her, was there while her father-in-law was dying, she had been worrying about that. As such, she did things so dreamily that she either missed this or forgot that.
Fortunately, after the mistakes were made, she remembered to insist that she was too sad to get things wrong. In that case, Madame Tao asked Madame He and Madame Huang came over for help to be in command. Of the two women, one was incompetent while the other was young and not experienced. None of them were capable. So, it was indispensable to get granddaughters-in-law to help.
Not only Chu Yitong, who had been in the family for less than three days, but also Qiu Yelan, who had three unweaned children under her care, were kept occupied! No one had the time or the mood to gossip.
In the chaos, the mourning clothes were finally finished. When Madame Mi had just finished giving them out to all people present, she thought that she could send someone to give one to Mi Yinyin, who had just been sent back to her maiden family. However, upon the words were given, Jiang Tianhe burst out from nowhere. Her eyes were red. It seemed that she had just cried. But her gaze was piercing, “My sixth sister-in-law, who are you going to deliver it to?”
“To my daughter-in-law. She is the granddaughter-in-law of Sir Jibei. As her grandfather-in-law has just died, could she not wear mourning clothes?” Madame Mi screwed up her face and asked strongly.
“My father’s greatest regret on his deathbed was that neither of his grandchildren was with him!” Jiang Tianhe sneered, “Yabi has gotten to run an errand. That’s fine! But Yalan has been in Jing City. If you hadn’t been so confused and partial towards your maiden family, can he be driven away, would my father not have seen any of his grandsons before his death? When my father just saw Zheng, he lamented that he had never seen Yalan’s child in his life. Do you want to send the mourning clothes of a granddaughter-in-law to your niece? You think that by making her take the advantage of the chaos to observe mourning as a granddaughter-in-law, she can continue to rely on Yalan, don’t you?”
Madame Mi’s pupils were suddenly contracted. She was so angry that she almost screamed out, “You… You and your daughter…” When Jiang Tianhe knew that her father was not well, she didn’t rush over immediately but went into the palace and called on Xin Fubing to join her. Sure enough, it had nothing to do with her filial piety. She did that with the aims to do great harm to the Mi Family!
“Do yourself a favor!” Jiang Tianhe covered her mouth with a handkerchief, seemingly wiping his tears. But her tone was cold and devoid of any emotion, “This was said by my father himself. All the men in the room heard it! Do you dare make a scene if you don’t like it? If you dare to do so, even you won’t be able to stay in this family!”
Seeing Madame Mi’s furious look, she sneered and tucked the handkerchief into her sleeve, “Unpleasant? When my husband and I were not in Jing City, you and your niece were quite pleasant to bully my daughter, weren’t you? It’s time for you to taste it!” And with that, without looking at her face again, she left directly!
… Not far away, Qiu Yelan and Jiang Yashuang were talking about the arrangements of the three children. The couple watched the scene from beginning to end. Only when they saw that Madame Mi was about to notice them did they turn their eyes away, “Did my youngest grand uncle really say that?”
“When Aunt Tianhe mentioned that my thirteenth brother was not there and he hadn’t had a child, my youngest grand uncle sighed.” Jiang Yashuang said, deadpan, “Forget it. Anyway, they didn’t make a scene. Let them do what they want!” The Jiang Family’s yard, which was handled well by He Shuijin before, was now in a great mess. Without He Shuijin, even though the young and the old joined to help, the Jiang Family couldn’t care about trifles.
Qiu Yelan also knew this and she sighed. When she was about to nod, Jiang Yahong suddenly walked over, looked at her, and said warmly, “My nineteenth sister-in-law, can I have a word with my nineteenth brother?”